Petunia plant named ‘Petouch’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Petouch’ characterized by its trailing, outwardly spreading plant habit, freely branching habit, freely flowering habit, single flowers that are white-violet in color, and good garden performance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Petunia hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘Petouch’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Petouch.’

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The new Petunia cultivar is freely flowering with a trailing and spreading plant habit and an attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Petunia originated from a cross between female parent ‘Y0892,’ an early and blue flowering unnamed seedling of own breeding, and male parent ‘A1057,’ a very good branching and rather late selection of own breeding.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at Enkhuizen since August 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Petouch.’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Petouch’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Spreading plant habit     -   2. Freely branching     -   3. Freely flowering     -   4. White-violet flower color     -   5. Good outdoor performance

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia flower later than plants of the         female parent selection     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are less violet than plants of the         female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more branched than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia flower earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR ‘PETOUCH’ AND A SIMILAR CULTIVAR ‘Petwiblvgr’ (U.S. Plant ‘Petouch’ Patent No. 17,260) Petal visibility of vein Less clearly More clearly pattern Vigour Less vigorous More vigorous Earliness of flowering 6 weeks after planting 7 weeks after planting

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The observations and measurements describe plants grown in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, practice circumstances indoor in hanging baskets of diameter 25 cm during the early spring with day temperatures ranging from 15 to 20° C., night temperatures ranging from 5 to 15° C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about 25 weeks from planting rooted cuttings.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   The plant:     -   -   Classification.—Botanical: Petunia hybrida. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection Y0892, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection A1057, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—7 days.         -   Time to develop roots.—14 days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, white in color         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially             upright, later on trailing and outwardly spreading. Freely             branching habit; about eight basal branches each with five             to seven lateral branches. Pinching enhances development of             lateral branches.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio             containers and landscape applications.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             20 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 60 cm.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous; rapid growth rate.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 40 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: 1.5-2.5 cm. Texture: Canescent. Color:             144B. -   The foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate, sessile, simple.         -   Length.—2-3.5 cm.         -   Width.—1.5-2 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire, slightly ciliated.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 147A to             147B. Fully expanded foliage, Upper surface: 147A. Venation             upper surface: 143B to 143C. Lower surface: 147B. Venation             lower surface: 143B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color,             upper and lower surface: 143B. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. -   The flower:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single funnel-shaped flowers,             slightly rotate. Flowers face mostly upward and outward;             axillary. Freely flowering habit, five to ten open flowers             and about four flower buds per lateral branch at a time.         -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn;             flowering continuous.         -   Flowers longevity on the plant.—5 days.         -   Fragrance.—Strong.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: 5-6 cm. Tube length: About 3 cm.             Throat diameter, distal end: About 1 cm. Tube diameter,             proximal end: 2-3 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: 3-4 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape:             Elongated oblong with ruffled apices. Color: N92A.         -   Petals—Quantity/arrangement: Five petals fused in a single             whorl, funnel shaped, slightly rotate. Length from throat:             4-5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, velvety. Color When opening, upper surface: 155B,             venation 150D. When opening, lower surface: 155C, venation             83B to 83C. Fully opened, upper surface: 155B, venation             150C. Fully opened, lower surface: 155C, venation 83C to             83D. Flower throat (inside): 150B, venation N92A. Flower             tube (outside): N77D, venation 150C. Venation, throat: N92A.             Venation, tube: 150C.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base, rotate shape. Length: 1.5-2 cm. Width: About             1 cm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Ciliated.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Puberulous. Color, upper             surface: 137A. Color, lower surface: 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: 1.5-2 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle: About             45° to 60° from the stem. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Puberulous. Color: 144A. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens, quantity per flower.—Five.         -   Anther shape.—Two-parted, rounded, ends fused.         -   Anther length.—About 1 mm.         -   Anther diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Anther color.—2D.         -   Pollen amount.—Much pollen.         -   Pollen color.—2D.         -   Pistils, quantity per flower.—One.         -   Pistil length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Style length.—About 2.0 cm.         -   Style color.—150C.         -   Stigma shape.—Ovate.         -   Stigma color.—N144C.         -   Ovary color.—144C. -   Seed development: Seed and/or fruit production has not been observed     to date. -   Disease and pest resistance: No disease/pest resistance has been     observed to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the Petunia named ‘Petouch’ have been     observed to have good garden performance. Plants of the Petunia     named ‘Petouch’ have been noted to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures from 2 to 39° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Petouch’, as substantially illustrated and described herein. 